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Show, Not Tell/Transcript
Transcript Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby. Rain is heard. Tim is typing at a computer. Moby is searching through a closet. Typing is heard. MOBY: Beep? TIM: Try looking behind the shoe rack. MOBY: Beep? TIM: Oh, never mind. I'll show you. An animation shows Tim walk to the closet. Tim holds up a raincoat. TIM: Why do you need this raincoat, anyway? You're not thinking of going outside in this weather? MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, you're on your own; there's no way I'm going out there. Tim is heard reading from a typed letter. TIM: Dear Tim & Moby: In writing, you're supposed to "show, not tell." What does that mean? From Foggy. The video rapidly goes black and then back again. An animation shows Tim and Moby standing in the rain. TIM: I don't know how you talked me into this. Anyway, show, not tell. Writing's a powerful thing. When you write, you can tell your readers about a situation, helping them understand something that maybe they've never seen before. MOBY: Beep? TIM: Well, the concept of showing and not telling takes it a step further. Really good writing goes beyond simply explaining something, making you feel like you saw it for yourself; that you smelled it, touched it, like you yourself were there. When you show your readers what you're talking about instead of just telling them, you give them a sense of place, and feeling, and experience. An animation shows Tim. He is slowly waving his hand back and forth on either side of his head. MOBY: Beep. TIM: I get excited about this stuff — so what? Anyway, it's true. If you wanted to describe what it’s like to be outside right now, what would you say? An animation shows Moby looking around at the weather. MOBY: Beep. Beep. Beep. TIM and Text: Okay, "Tim and I were outside." The video changes. One-by-one three circles appear on screen. In the first circle, an image shows Tim's head. In the second circle, an image shows Moby's head. In this circle, an image shows a house. TIM and Text: "The weather was bad." A fourth circle appears below the other circles. In this circle, an image shows a rain cloud. TIM and Text: "It was cold and windy." That's . . . that's accurate. MOBY: Beep? TIM: The thing is, you're just telling people what you see and feel, instead of showing them. MOBY: Beep? TIM: Well, if I were writing a story about this, I would say . . . hmm . . . we were greeted by a blast of icy wind as Moby dragged me out the front door. The video changes. An image shows Moby grabbing Tim. They are standing in front of a door to a house. Swirly white lines are over the image. TIM: My thin raincoat offered little protection from the hard sheets of rain that fell from the dark, turbulent sky. The screen fades to black. An image appears. It shows Tim covering his face with the collar of his raincoat. Tim appears sad and confused. TIM: I shivered in the clammy air, longing for the dry warmth of my living room. The screen fades to black. An image appears. It shows Tim presses against a window to the house. He is staring at a couch that is inside the dry house. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, that's sort of the point — to make it feel like you're actually there. I tried to make it really active by bringing in as many sensory experiences and feelings as I could. Plus, you are actually there. Saying that we were "greeted by a blast of icy wind" gives the reader a lot more information than just saying "It was windy." The "hard sheets of rain" gives you an idea of how much rain is actually falling, and with how much force. Everyone knows that you only shiver when it's really cold, and that last bit about wanting to be inside gives you a good sense of my state of mind. Text on the screen shows a paragraph of Tim's description. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Yes. MOBY: Beep! TIM: Yes. I'm amazing. Can we go inside now? MOBY: Beep? TIM: Sure, you can have another try. Why don't you describe the experience of sitting on the couch, drying off with a towel? MOBY: Beep. An animation shows Moby entering the house. A door opening and then closing is heard. TIM: Finally. An animation shows Tim turning the knob to the front door of the house. The door does not open. The clicking of a doorknob is heard. TIM: Hey . . . Moby! Category:BrainPOP Transcripts Category:BrainPOP English Transcripts